Vehicle-wheel.



WITNESSES."

J. WILLIAMS.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FlLE D OCT. 23 1913.

Patented Apr. 25,1916.

2 SHEETS-QSHEET I.

J. WILLIAMS.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 0cT;23,1913.

m owmn 5 mm m H w 5 H HZ R 2 w M? M R Q m U Mv WW m H h 7 0 M M m N v l WY n\ H 7( IV WITNESSES.

Fl will storm WILLIAMS, or" oAKLANn, :CALI'FORNIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-H LF r ROSS. CAMPBELL, or SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

LTSUALWL.

To all whom it. may concern:

Be it "known that I, JOHN VVILLrAMs, a

citizen of the United States, residingat Oakland, in the county of Alameda and fication.

This invention relates to improvements inv vehicle wheels and more'particul'arly to an all: metal wheel especially adapted for use on automobiles.

Among the objects of, this device are: the

construction. of a light weight and rigid wheel, the use of seamless tubing for the spokes and the providing of. improved I means for'holding the same in place. By

' the ,use of such tubing a wheel isprodu'ced "whichhas solidity of appearance which'is.

lacking in the usual wire spoke wheels With these and other objects in view 1t will be seen that my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangements of parts, asherein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and asmore particularly pointed out in'the ap pended claims. v

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is'aview in elevation of an automobile wheel constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig, 2 is an'enlarged .sectional view onthe line 22' Fig. 1, showing the manner in which the'spokes are held inth'e hub and rim. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation. of one of the wedge like members on which the inner ends of the spokes are seated. Fig. 4 is a view in section on the line 4.4.Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view in elevation "seats for the inner ends of the spokes. Fig.

9 is a detailed view in elevation of one of the plugs such as isshown in Fig. 8.

Denoting corresponding parts by the same numerals of reference, 1 is a cylindrical central hub having the ball faces 2, and

the externally threaded ends 3 and 4. The central portion of the outer surface of this cylinder is finished true and forms a seat for the annular wedge shaped members 5,

Stateof California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehic.e- "Wheels, of which the following is a speci-' which are illustrated more fully in Figs. 3

and 4, and are provided with a plurality Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 25, 191L155}, Application filed October 23, um. Serial no. 796,960. e,

of inclined faces 6, between which are ribs 7. These members are splined to the hub 1,'so that-while they rotate therewith, they may be given an axial movement, for the purpose of tightening the spokes;

Seated onfthe periphery of the ribs 7, is a cylindrical piece 8, shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and which is provided with a central circumferential rib 9-- On each side "of this rib are oppositely disposed holes 10, adapt' ed to receive the spokes and'hold the same in spaced relation.

The spokes 11 are made of seamless tubing such as used in bicycle frames, and alternate spokes are oppositely inclined with res'pectto the plane of the wheel. To the mner end of each spoke is fitted one ofthe pieces 12 shown in Figs. 8 and 9,consi sting of the flat. portion 13 having the inclined edges 14. which rest between the ribs 7 of members 5. A cylindrical lug 15 is formed -on.base 13 which fits inside of the'spoke 11, and at the base of this lug is an annular recess 16 in which is held the end of the spoke. As before stated one of these members 12 is placed on each spoke and seated on an inclined face of member 5. The latter .maybe forced toward each other by nuts 17 and 18 in threaded engagement with 3 and 4: respectively. These nuts are in turn held by caps 19 and 20 also in threaded engagement with the ends 3 and 4. The washers 21 are interposed between the two sets of nuts. I

The outer end of spokes 11 are provided with the members 22 shown in Fig. 5, consisting of a cylindrical body 22 having the same diameter as the outside of the tube forming the spoke, a reduced cylindrical portion 23 .to fit theinside of the tube, and a small lug 24 which projects through a hole in thefelly 25. 'The latter is formed with an annular recess 26 and sides 27 inclined at the same angle as the spokes. ,The

' lug 2t need notbe provided on all the members 22, as its function is to prevent movement between the felly and rim 30 as well as to hold the spokes in fixed relation thereto, and in practice it hasnot been found necessary to use more thanfour to accomplish this purpose.

In assembling the wheel, spokes '11 are first provided with the end members 12,

placed in the holes 10, of spider8 and then the'outer'ends slid into the felly. The inner ends are "then seated on the rings o and the projections slid over the central hub 1.-

' firmly "bind the spokes in position.

felly, a hub structure comprising an aper- Nextthenutsl7 and 18 are screwed in place causingpthe wedge shaped faces gr-11710 e caps 19 and 20 act as binding nuts and give .a finish to. the completed structure, the various nuts being provided with; hexagonal faces for gripping withor octagonal wrenches. v 7

While I have shown the preferred em bodiment of my invention it will of course be understood that changes in form and minor details of construction may be'made without departing fromthe spirit thereof.

What I"-claim as new and wish to cover by Letters Patent 'is 1. In a wheel, the combination of a felly of continuous transverse cross section having an inwardly opening outwardly flaring annular recess therein, a plug contacting therewith along one face only, said plug having a reduced'projection extending in --wa r dly from the felly, a hollow spoke engaging said projection and set at an angle to the plane of the felly, a hub structure, and means for securing said spoke in said vhub structure.

2;In a wheel the combination with a felly having an inwardly opening, outwardly flaring annular recess therein and having outwardly opening holes ,communicating'with said-recess, cylindrical plugs arranged in said recess so as to contact with one side face only thereof, said plugs having pins inserted in said holes and having re duced projections extending inwardly from the..felly, hollow spokes embracing said'i'n ward projections at the outer ends of the spokes, a hub structure, and means for securmg said spokes in said hub structure.

3. In a wheel in combination, ,a felly, hollow spokes, means for securing said spokes to said fell-y at an angle to the plane of said fellyfahub structure comprising. an apertured ring through which the spokes extend and through which the spokes are otherwise unattached, plugs inserted into the in-- her ends of said spokes within said ring, said plugs having inner faces square to the spokes but inclined to the plane of the felly,

and Wedge rings engaging the inner faces offlsaid plugs for securing the spokes in p ace.

4:. In a wheel in combination, a felly; hollow spokes, means for securing said spokes to saidfelly at an angle to the plane of said tured ring through which the spokes extend and through which the spokes are otherwise unattached, plugs insertedinto 'the inner ends of said spokes within said ring, said plugs having inner faces square to the spokes but inclined to the plane of the felly, and wedge rings engaging the inner faces of said plugs for securing the spokes in place, said hub structure'comprlslng also an interior bushmgon which sald rings are mounted, both ends of said bushing being threaded, and nuts onxsaid-threaded portions for forcingsaid rings ter offlthehub structure. I V v 5'. A 'metal wheel comprising in combination a felly ring of channel shape cross toward the censection, two sets of spokes the outer ends of which are seated in said ring, the spokes of the two sets being oppositely inclined to the plane of the felly ring, a hub structure cooperating with the inner ends of said spokes including an integral outer cylinder provided with' apertures through whichthe spokes extend, an inner hub'member spaced from said Y cylinder, oppositely inclined wedge rings between the inner ends of the spokes and said hub member, and means for forcing said wedge rings toward the center of the'huh whereby said spokes are pressed outwardly against the felly ring and placed .under compression.

6. A metal wheel comprising in comb1- nation a felly ring of channel shape cross section, two sets of spokes the outer ends of which are seated in said ring, the spokes of the two-sets being oppositely inclined to the plane of the felly ring, a hub structure cooperating with. the inner 'ends of said spokes including an integral outer cylinder provided with apertures through which the spokes extend, 'an inner hub member spaced from said cylinder, oppositely inclined wedge rings between the inner ends of, the spokes and said hub member, and means for forcing said wedge rings toward the center of the hub whereby said spokes are pressed outwardly against the felly ring and placed under compression, said wedge rings having sockets therein for the reception of the inner ends of ,the spokes.

7. A metal wheel comprising in combination a felly ring of channel shape cross section, two: sets of spokes the outer ends of which are seated in said ring,- the spokes of the two sets being oppositely inclined to the plane of the felly ring, a hub structure cooperating with the inner ends of said spokes including an integral outer cylinder provided withj apertures through which the spokes extend, an inner hub member spaced from said cylinder, oppositely inclined wedge rings between the inner ends of the spokes and said hub member, and means for forcing said wedge rings toward the center of the hub whereby said spokes are pressed outwardly against the felly ring and placed under compression, the inner ends of the spokes having shoe-like plugs inserted therein, said plugs having a portion extending between the inner edge of the spokes me ia].

and the Wedge rings in which is an annular socket for reception of the inner ends" of the spokes. 4

8. A metal wheel comprising in, combination a felly ring of channel shape "cross section, two sets of'spokes the outer ends of which are seated in'said ring, the spokes of the two sets being oppositely inclined to the plane of the felly ring, a hub structure 00 operating with the inner ends of said spokes including an integral outer cylinder provided with apertures through which the spokes extend, an inner hub member spaced from said cylinder, oppositely inclined wedge rings between the inner ends of the spokes and said hub member, and means for forcing said .wedge rings toward the taining the outer cylindrical member in proper spaced relation with respect to-the inner hub member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WILLIAMS.

TVitnesses i I F. P. SoHRoEoER, R. M. OYARZO. 

